Since it's Valentines Day, thought I'd conform this year and do a Valentine special. While it is from Layton Inlove, it's not really part of the story line, just a random unrelated story I felt like typing. This wont be happening in the story.

A Valentine Surprise

It had been almost a year since I'd met the wonderful, hansome, amazing Professor Hershel Layton and from the moment our eyes met I'd fallen for him. Of course it would be many tedious weeks of seeing and not seeing my dear Professor before I realised that I'd fallen for him so much more than I'd ever imagined.

At first it seemed like a bit of shyness, as you do feel around a celebrity (if that's what you could call him), but as time progressed it wasn't just his presence that made my heart pound. Almost every time I saw him we were in close proximity and I could feel my legs starting to become gellatinous. Every time we made physical contact, intentional or not, my world would stop and I could feel myself begging for the moment to last just that little bit longer. Of course these symptoms of love only got worse once I was aware of what was happening.

At any rate, almost a year had gone by (10 months to be a little more precise) and it was now February. It had been years since I last thought about that special day of the year where everything turns red and pink and restaurants become over booked. And if it wasn't for my 'crush' on the Professor, it would've gone by without so much as a glance. But the day was close now (the following day, yes it was February 13) and as a spur of the moment idea I'd gone to find a card to give (send) the Professor and since I was out I'd decided to go for one of my occasional walks around the suburb in which the hospital was. On my way back it happened that I passed a popular florist when something caught my eye. Double take and back step - it was the Professor looking at flowers.

I stood off to the side a bit and pretended to look at the flowers as I watched him. Shortly he picked up a beautiful bouquet of red roses mixed in with some of pink flower and examined it before placing them back in the bucket. He then went to the counter. Any moment he would turn to leave the store so I quickly left the shop front and headed back down to the busy square to catch the bus home.

'The Professor was looking at flowers, does he have someone he likes?' I continually asked myself as I walked. 'Perhaps this card was a waste.'

I took that card out of my bag and looked at it for the longest time. It was a simple card - light pink with a red heart in the middle saying "For someone special", the inside blank. I'd already written in it "Dear Hershel Layton, Thank you for everything, You mean alot to me. Happy Valentines Day, Lots of Love", I hadn't had the courage to sign my name. I'd decide that later.

I spent the night contemplating and sighing. I didn't really have any friends, let alone anyone I could talk about this.

"Should I? Shouldn't I?" I muttered as I paced my room. Then a thought entered my head...

"Hello, Professor Layton speaking."

I drew a deep breath, "Hi, Professor, it's Azalia."

"Oh, hello Azalia! It's not often I get a call from you. How are you?" He asked, his cheerful voice putting a smile on my face.

"I'm good, yourself?"

"Fine, thank you. What may I help you with?"

I inwardly laughed, 'Help me indeed.' "Well, I've been racking my brain all day over this and finally decided I need to ask someone, and you're the only person I can talk to really." Then quickly added, "NOT that I need a reason to talk to you, I mean I don't really have any other friends."

He chuckled softly, "Of course, of course. I'll try my best to assist you."

"Well, it's Valentines Day tomorrow and I'd gotten this card to give someone," I said, struggling hard to supress the nervousness that was making its way into my voice. "but I'm unsure as to whether or not to sign my name. And I was hoping you'd be able to help me decide, or give me a little advice."

There was a pause and my heart began to pound even faster and harder than it had when I dialed his number, "Well... I'm not so sure I'm the right person to be talking to about these things, Azalia, nevertheless I shall try." His voice lost the cheerfulness it had prior to my request. He paused again, obviously thinking. "I'm assuming this is a love card, and you've not yet told the person your feelings."

"That's correct. Perhaps I should've started with that first, heh. So, what do you think?"

"Do you intend to let them know via this card?"

"Um, well that's kinda the thing."

"Azalia.." He sighed in that disappointed mother tone.

"Professor, please!" I whined.

"Alright. I suppose it would be forbidden to ask who the lucky man is?"

"YES!"

"Ok ok. How long have you been interested in this person, and what would you gain from expressing your feelings? Better yet, what is the purpose of the card?"

I thought about it. "I suppose I don't want to let him know just yet. I guess the card is to just let him know someone cares? He seems really, not himself. Rather down."

"I suppose you can think of it this way. If the card will convey your feelings through your cheery message, perhaps leave it unsigned, or if it will just convey a caring friendship, then sign your name. How does that sound?"

It was a brilliant idea. "It sounds fantastic!" I exclaimed. "Thank you so much Professor!"

He chuckled again. "You're welcome."

"I'll talk to you later." And with that I hung up, feeling happier that my choice was made a little easier.

I took the card out of my bag and sat at my kitchen table, pen in hand. "Love... Love..." I put the pen down and sighed. I could always make the excuse that it was because I wanted to let him know he was a good friend to me. But I did just call him about it, he would know. Besides, he was looking at flowers, he had someone else he was thinking about, I would only be making things awkward and complicated between us.

I stood and went to look out my kitchen window trying to clear my head when my eyes fell on the azalia bush just outside (which I'd had planted). I opened the window and picked a young one that looked as if it had just gone into bloom. "Hmm..."

14th February, Valentines Day. A day of love! A day I'd not thought about for so long that it felt strange that it should even have crossed my thoughts. Yet there I was, putting the card with the Azalia taped to it into the Professor's letter box. With a trembling hand I shook off all second thoughts and doubts and I place it inside. Finally it was done and I wouldn't be able to take it back now. My next move was to quickly head back to the bus stop incase the Professor came out or returned home (I knew not if he was home or out). I waited the rest of the day nervously, expecting some sort of rejecting phonecall.

It was almost evening before I started to relax. His letterbox seemed pretty full, perhaps he didn't notice my card. 'I'm sure there were many other people also sending Layton Valentines cards, perhaps mine wont stand out!' But no sooner had the thought crossed my mind did the door bell ring, giving me a fright.

I slowly approached the door, putting a nervous hand on the knob. 'One, two, three..." I opened the door and found the Professor standing on my doorstep, the same bunch of flower's he'd been looking at the previous day in his hand, noting that the pink flowers were actually azalias. "When you'd mentioned you were sending someone of interest a card I thought these flowers were going to go waste. I never would have guessed that the card was for me. The flower was clever."

'The flowers... They were for me...'

All I could do was stand there.

"Happy Valentines Day, Azalia." He said as he handed me the flowers.

"Thank you." I took them, marvelling at their beauty, in a bit of a shocked state. I didn't notice the man leaning forward, not until his fingers tilted my chin up and he pressed his lips softly against mine. My face flushed, my fingers coming to my lips. "Happy Valentines to you too."